Black July and the Fallout Thereafter

Black July and the Fallout Thereafter On July 23, 1983, Tamil separatists, known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), stepped up militant attacks in northern Sri Lanka and killed 13 Sinhalese soldiers who reported for duty only a day earlier in Thirunelvely, Jaffna. The LTTE was fighting for a separate Tamil state in the northern and eastern parts of the country. This day became known as the beginning of Black July, an organized, ethnically-charged massacre of the Tamil people. After the incident in Jaffna, Sri Lankan soldiers killed 51 civilians in Jaffna. The violence in the country lasted for several days and approximately 3,000 Tamils were killed. The death of the 13 soldiers was propaganda used to justify violence against Tamils. Shops that Tamils owned were looted. People were stripped naked. Women were raped. Tamils were even burnt alive. In Colombo and provincial towns, soldiers stood by and even supplied gasoline to help set the cities ablaze. Thousands of Tamils fled to Jaffna, believing that staying in a Sinhalese area was not safe for them. To root out Tamils in the area, many Sinhalese would show suspected Tamils objects and demand to know the Sinhala word for it. There was government complicity and gangs operated at the behest of hardline ministers. On July 27, 1983, the then President JR Jayewardene made his first speech on the events, offering no sympathy to the minority and instead emphasizing Sinhala grievances. More killings followed. By the time the violence dwindled on July 31, 1983, tens of thousands of Tamils had fled to the northern and eastern provinces or abroad. Black July was a recruiting agent for Tamil militants. The incident started a civil war that lasted 26 years between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE. The Sri Lankan military forces finally defeated the LTTE in May 2009. Approximately 700,000 Tamils were sent into exile during these 26 years and at least 100,000 people were killed. Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict remains unresolved. Abductions, arbitrary arrests and sexual violence perpetrated by the military have not decreased. Military involvement in the North and East is still strong. Most military camps have become permanent and Sinhala colonization is on the rise. The idea of a separate Tamil homeland—an illegal as a political platform—became more powerful because so many Tamils fled to the areas of the island where they were the majority. Since 1983, many Tamils have not felt comfortable living in southern Sri Lanka, apart from the capital. Four years after the war victory, the government says there are no minorities and everyone is equal, yet Sinhalese nationalist sentiment and speeches are on the upsurge. There remains nervousness, not only among Tamils but also amongst Muslims who have seen their mosques attacked and their lifestyle under sustained assault from Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists, including monks. With the Tigers crushed i n 2009 and unknown numbers of Tamil civilians killed as the war ended, hardline ministers now advocate reducing devolution for the Tamil areas despite a constitutional clause meant to increase it.

Enron Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Enron Corporation - Essay Example Apparently, companies in the present day scenario emphasise more on developing themselves as an improved unit both in an ethical and legal manner. Observably, business focuses more on confirming that their operational activities cause minimal negative impact on people of the external business environment (Jennings, 2010; Blythe & Zimmerman, 2005). However, with the emergence of high profile corporate breakdowns in the recent years, questions have been raised on the present rules and frameworks along with the effectiveness of the corporate governance practices amid the companies. In this regard, the corporate collapse of Enron is one of the prime example where the ineffectiveness of corporate governance practices is largely visible (KPMG, 2010; Baijal, n.d.). In order to acquire a comprehensive understanding with regard to the failure of the company i.e. Enron, this essay will highlight the corporate issues and gaps of the company prior to its downfall which ultimately resulted in its total collapse. The essay will also ensure a thorough discussion about how the laws of corporate governance have strengthened aftermath of the Enron downfall. As depicted above corporate governance is one of the most vital aspects that are associated with the operations of the business units in the modem day business context. In today’s scenario the reputation of any business is largely determined by its ability to assure appreciative performance in the domain of corporate governance. However, with the increasing number of accounting fraud and failures of companies to adhere to particular legal and ethical standards in conducting business, the aspect of corporate governance has emerged as one of the major issue in the business sector today. The issue of corporate governance has mostly gathered strength especially after the collapse of Enron owing to accounting frauds in the year 2001. However, in order to depict the actual reason

US Presidents and the Presidency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

US Presidents and the Presidency - Essay Example The most outstanding leaders in American history include the founding fathers or early leaders: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson; those who presided in times of internal and external conflict: Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt; intercontinental political leaders like James Monroe who declared the American hemisphere off-limits for European colonialist invaders; Woodrow Wilson and his isolationist and international concepts. Erstwhile stately global leaders presiding throughout the Cold War period like Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy. Other notable presidents are those who rebuilt the American economy including Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. The 21st century has heralded the threat of international terrorism particularly against American interests in addition to the current global financial crisis. The 43rd president George W. Bush was the first president of the new millennium who has been accused of inciting and provoking the wrath of the Islamic terrorists. The current president, Barrack Obama is also remarkable historically in being the first African American president in addition to have being the only one born outside the continental USA. One of the most outstanding American presidents is Abraham Lincoln the 16th US president, who has been credited for his significant leadership, preserving the United States union when it was threatened by bitter internal turmoil from the breakaway southern Confederate states. The main cause of the conflict was the latter opposition to the abolition of slave trade in the US intended to grant African Americans freedom; hence, he is accredited for ending slavery in America. Lincoln successfully consolidated his power base within the Republican Party by integrating the moderate Copperheads faction and the abolitionist Radical Republicans as well as gravitating public opinion to his favour. During his famous Gettysburg